Flybys, barrel rolls and the Rafale dazzle crowds at the air show

Although the stars of the show - The Russian Knights, a team of five Sukhoi Su-27 UB fighters, were delayed due to bad weather in Russia, there was plenty of excitement in the air.

The displays were kicked off by India's first indigenous plane - the Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' – still in operational testing.

Its distinctive triangle shape was somewhat familiar to the locals who have watched its test runs over the city from the HAL Airport for over five years now. The plane was fast and smooth, performing a series of rolls and loops.

It drew the highest number of eyeballs as well, with almost everyone stopping to watch it. The much delayed plane certainly appeared to be highly anticipated.

It also showed off its fly-by-wire maneuverability and versatility, going nearly dead-slow at one point, before suddenly bursting out into a high-speed speed barrel roll.

Image: Flying Bulls Zlin 50LX single-engine and single-seater aerobatic display team from the Czech Republic perform on the opening of the Aero India 2013 at Yelahanka air base in Bangalore, India, Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2013. More than 600 aviation companies along with delegations from 78 countries are participating in the five-day event that started on Wednesday.